Bob

I want to forgo today's post about Jackie and Angel, and instead write about a story that I saw in yesterday's paper.

Photo courtesy of the Sullivan family. This is Bob before he was stolen over the weekend.

The other day some "person" stole a turtle named Bob right out of his owner's front yard. What the "person" did to Bob was so horrible, so brutal, that it is hard to comprehend what sort of "person" is capable of such violence. From what I read in the story, the "person" who stole Bob slashed his legs and neck, and stabbed and punctured his shell with an ice-pick like instrument. Evidently they were trying to remove Bob's shell, which of course would have killed him, but much worse was the torture they put this poor creature through.

Having failed at trying to remove Bob's shell, the coward(s) fled, and left Bob presumably to die in an alley. The owners finally found their pet, but he was so badly hurt that the animal hospital they took Bob too wasn't sure if he would survive the attack.

That is the Reader's Digest version of the story. The whole story can be found here. (Subscription required.).

Photo courtesy of Christi Vaughan. This is a picture of Bob taken yesterday at an animal rescue and rehabilitation center in Santa Barbara.

The good news is, Bob is quite the survivor. The paper reported today that he is doing better, despite the fact that he was so badly hurt that he has been fitted with a feeding tube which pumps food and meds into his stomach. Bob's family, however, is devastated.

Bob is more than a pet turtle to his family, he is family. The family includes an autistic child that has a special bond with Bob, and before the attack the two shared a very close relationship. Bob was very playful, according to the family, before the attack. Yesterday, however, the family, including their son, spent two hours with Bob at the animal hospital in Santa Barbara, but Bob spent most of that time withdrawn into his shell. Hopefully Bob will recover not only physically, but emotionally as well, and will come to once again trust his human family.

What sort of "person" could do such a thing to a helpless creature? I wouldn't even call the wretch that did this an "animal", because I am not so sure even an animal would intentionally torture another animal. I understand that predators eat prey all the time, and sometimes when they catch their prey some animals might "play" with a catch before they kill it, but what this "person" did is way beyond that.

There is a reason I sometimes think people should not hold the apparent "value" of their life over that of any other living creature. The person who did this to Bob, in my opinion, is not a very "valuable" person, if even a person at all.

Anyone wishing to donate to help with Bob's medical costs can send money to Washington Mutual, P.O. Box 877, Ventura, CA 93002. Checks should be made out to William Sullivan in care of Bob, Account No. 492-105108-5. Wire transfer can be routed to Account No. 322271627.

Don't forget the Friday Ark at The Modulator

Posted by Jeff at July 12, 2007 7:48 AM